Paint cans, which are designed to be liquid tight, employ lever lid closures. A radially inwardly extending ring element is secured to the top of the sidewall of the can. The major (outer) diameter of the ring embodies a seaming panel for mechanical folded or rolled seaming to a can flange. A ring groove extends in a circular path entirely around the ring element between the major and minor (inner) diameters of the ring. The inner periphery of the ring defines a rolled edge. The area at the top of the can that is not covered by the ring element defines a circular can opening.
A lid is friction fit onto the rim, covering the opening. The lid includes a central downward projection that fits tightly in the circular can opening. The lid also includes a concentric annular groove sized, shaped and positioned to snugly receive a portion of the rolled inner periphery of the ring. The lid also includes a concentric annular protrusion sized, shaped and positioned to snugly fit within the ring groove. The outside diameter of the lid extends substantially over the ring to provide an outer edge for prying engagement with a lever-opening tool.
To use the contents of the paint can, e.g., paint, shellack, varnish, stain, etc. . . . , a user pries the lid off the ring. Then the user may dip a brush into the can or pour contents from the can. Contents of the can inevitably drip into the ring groove. If the contents are liquid when the lid is re-installed, the contents eventually dry and bond the lid to the ring, making the ring difficult or impossible to remove. When the contents dry in the groove, the lid no longer provides a tight leak-proof seal. Air intrudes into the can through the compromised seal and prematurely dries the contents. Concomitantly, the contents are susceptible to leaking from the can through the compromised seal, particularly during transportation. Thus, fouling of the rim with contents of the can leads to inconvenience (e.g., difficulty in removing a lid), waste (e.g., prematurely dried-out contents) and mess (e.g., spillage).
What is needed is a cost-effective device that guards and prevents fouling of the rim when the lid is removed. The device should install easily, yet securely engage the rim. The device should be scalable to protect various sizes of rimmed paint cans. Preferably, the device also includes features that facilitate pouring of contents and wiping of excess paint from a brush.
The invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems and solving one or more of the needs as set forth above.